With the sun making its first appearance since competition started, the Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W presented by USPRE Association began to wind down today at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). In the Small Tour, Christilot Boylen (CAN) was triumphant, taking the top two spots in the $5,000 FEI Intermediare I sponsored by Havensafe Farm. In the Large Tour, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) clinched the win in the $10,000 FEI Grand Prix Special sponsored by USPRE Association.
Judges today in both the FEI Intermediare I and FEI Grand Prix Special were Gary Rockwell (USA) at E, Sandy Hotz (USA) at H, Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA) at C, Jacques Van Daele (BEL) at M, and Jennie Loriston-Clarke (GBR) at B.
While Boylen won first and second again today, the horses exchanged placings compared to yesterday's results. Riding 9th of the 17 entries, she and Dio Mio (De Niro x Charmeur) held onto the lead with a score of 71.289%. Scoring a 69.395% with Hudson 18 (Hohenstein x Democraat), Boylen couldn't be more pleased with Jill Irving's 10-year-old black Hanoverian gelding, Dio Mio, and Hudson 18, the 9-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding. “The second day is always better for Dio Mio. He was a little unsettled yesterday so today the edge was just right. He was much more concentrated. He's a year older than Hudson and therefore more experienced. He can lay down a clean test when he's focused, which he showcased today,” she stated.
The Canadian Olympian continued, “Hudson is still quite green, this was only his third run through this test in a show condition. He's still learning, so his lines weren't perfect; he's still learning this test. It's definitely a step up from the Prix St. Georges, but he did his job very well. He listened to me and concentrated. The difficulty for him is he's such a big moving horse so he needs to improve on tightening up the lines a bit. They were both well-behaved. Each are gifted horses; I count myself extremely lucky every day,” assessed Boylen.
According to Vilhelmson-Silfven, she won her 41st International Grand Prix level class today. She was aboard Don Auriello (Don Davidoff x White Star). The 11-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding, owned by Lövsta Stuteri and Antonia Ax:son Johnson, performed their test magnificently. That was evident in their score of 77.688%. The Swedish Olympian described today's test by saying, “I hadn't done it in a while and it felt really great. I felt like I could challenge myself to get more power from him and try to ride him a bit better. I had a plan today that I think I executed. I'm pleased with my horse.
Today was a great opportunity to train him in this test. Usually we don't get to do this test unless it's in the Olympics or Championships. Here I was able to ride that test really well.”
Their score today was Vilhelmson-Silfven's highest ever with Don Auriello in the Special. Although there was not a lot of atmosphere, she still was able to “get him moving just using my aids. He is just so nice to ride in the tests and that's a great feeling,” she said.
The two started competing in Wellington in the Intermediare II the winter after they bought him at age eight. Anton, as he is affectionately known, “won't compete until April (at the Reem Acra World Cup). The next few weeks before leaving here to go home (to Sweden), he gets some time off from dressage. We will keep him fit and we will begin training again once we're home,” explained Vilhelmson-Silfven.
The Florida Dressage Classic presented by USPRE Association draws to a close tomorrow, with the featured class being the $6,000 FEI Intermediaire Freestyle.
Final Results: $5,000 FEI Intermediare I sponsored by Havensafe FaRM
1. Dio Mio, Christilot Boylen (CAN): E: 72.895%, H: 66.974%, C: 70.526%, M: 72.895%, B: 73.158%, Total: 71.289%
2. Hudson 18, Christilot Boylen (CAN): E: 70.921%, H: 69.079%, C: 66.184%, M: 71.316%, B: 69.474%, Total: 69.395%
3. Von Primaire, Kelly Layne (AUS): E: 68.158%, H: 67.500%, C: 69.605%, M: 66.316%, B: 68.289%, Total: 67.974
4. Rosmarin, Kimberly Herslow (USA): E: 66.711%, H: 65.395%, C: 70.658%, M: 66.184%, B: 64.342%, Total: 66.658%
5. Mosegaards Rico, Mette Rosencrantz (USA): E: 66.053%, H: 66.184%, C: 66.579%, M: 67.237%, B: 67.105%, Total: 66.632%
6. Hunter Douglas Rhapsody, Lindsay Kellock (CAN): E: 66.974%, H: 64.211%, C: 67.105%, M: 66.842%, B: 67.237%, Total: 66.474%
Final Results: $10,000 FEI Grand Prix Special sponsored by USPRE Association
1. Don Auriello, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE): E: 76.771%, H: 76.146%, C: 80.000%, M: 78.021%, B: 77.500%, Total: 77.688%
2. Finally, Mette Rosencrantz (USA): E: 66.354%, H: 66.146%, C: 63.125%, M: 64.167%, B: 67.604%, Total: 65.479%
3. My Lady, Mikala Munter Gunderse (DEN): E: 64.583%, H: 66.354%, C: 64.375%, M: 64.792%, B: 65.104%, Total: 65.042%
4. Jewel's Adelante, Elaine Cordia-Van Reese (USA): E: 67.292%, H: 65.313%, C: 65.000%, M: 61.563%, B: 64.479%, Total: 64.729%